Engadget

Xiaomi Phone 2 review: high-end specs in a surprisingly affordable package

The Engadget Interview: Design Head Peter Skillman on Nokia Here

HTC Droid DNA hands-on (video)

HTC Droid DNA coming to Verizon on November 21st for $200, pre-orders begin today

Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ioSafe SOLO G3 rugged external hard drives!

While American carriers are lengthening upgrade cycles and pushing people off unlimited data plans if they want a subsidized device, companies across the pond are actually looking to get customers to trade up more often. Vodafone's Red Hot isn't quite as flighty as JUMP, but the basic premise is the same. Rather than buy the latest high-end smartphone, you rent it. Then when the time comes, you simply trade it in for the new latest and greatest. While Phones4u lets you switch handsets impulsively every six months, Vodafone goes with a more reasonable yearly upgrade cycle. With the Red Hot plan Vodafone customers get a new smartphone, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and "loads of internet," though we'd argue 2GB hardly qualifies as "loads." Pricing will vary based on handset, but we can tell you a Galaxy S III will currently set you back £47 a month. If you've still got some lingering questions hit up the source links.

Thanksgiving is a week away and as exciting as family and good eats may be, there's nothing more appetizing than a good deal. Not too long ago we took a quick peek at Sprint's Black Friday offerings and now it's time to wrap things up. An anonymous source has served up the carrier's remaining post-Turkey Day sales and it appears that the Now Network is having a Samsung blowout. Running November 23rd through 25th, Sprint will be offering the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Victory to new and eligible customers for free after a $50 mail-in rebate and two year service agreement. In typical holiday sale fashion, supplies are expected to be limited, so you'll want to plan accordingly in order to cash in on this deal.

[Thanks, anonymous]

We knew the Nexus 4 would be a no-brainer -- a quad-core phone with stock Android 4.2 and 720p display is a steal at $300 without a contract -- but the fact that the Play Store sold out in record time indicates that the masses have literally bought in to the idea as well. It appears, though, that the device was even more popular than even Google could have imagined: several of our readers who had successfully ordered a unit have just received an email from Google explaining that the product is backordered and is expected to ship out "within three weeks." To help ease the pain, Google has agreed to waive shipping charges and will make it easy for early adopters to cancel their order in case they find a unit at a local T-Mobile dealer. Head past the break to see the email in its entirety.

When the HTC Droid DNA leaked out into the wild, we'd learned that the DLX codename was really shorthand for "Deluxe," a title that was also attached to non-Verizon models like the J Butterfly. If @evleaks is correct, that's because HTC fully intends to have a reference version of the Deluxe on the market: the frequent rumor source has posted what looks to be a press image of the international model. There isn't much of a surprise if you've seen the Droid DNA, as it preserves all the red trim while replacing the Verizon logo with HTC's own. Most other details are left out -- there's no release date or hardware differences to pick out -- but the image may be a clue that those of us who live outside of Japan and the US could get own 1080p phone before too long.

After a long wait, the next crop of Windows Phone handsets are beginning to trickle in, and just in time for the holidays. If you're familiar with our reviews of the HTC 8X and Nokia Lumia 920, you already know that Windows Phone has some impressive contenders in its stable, but these flagship devices only tell half of the story. Now, we're given an opportunity to test the Lumia 810, a mid-range smartphone that's now available on T-Mobile.

It's clear that T-Mobile isn't looking to start a price war here. At $150 after a rebate, the Lumia 810 costs more than Nokia's crown jewel, the Lumia 920, which you can find on AT&T for $100. Another telling sign: the phone also costs more than its siblings, the Lumia 820 for AT&T ($50) and the Lumia 822 for Verizon ($100). Naturally, you'll be able to recoup some of this with T-Mobile's lower monthly fees, but it goes without saying that T-Mobile is levying an early adopter tax on its subscribers. That said, for those sold on Windows Phone yet unwilling to jump ship, you're left to choose between the Lumia 810 and the more expensive HTC 8X. Along with its lower cost, Nokia holds an ace up its sleeve in the form of its home-brewed Windows Phone apps, which may be enough to sway customers away from HTC's flagship. Will the extra card be enough for a winning hand? Join us after the break as we explore the finer points of the Lumia 810.

Nokia Lumia 810 review

In some senses, we've been waiting for this moment since last May: Verizon is back to selling brand-new Windows Phone hardware. Starting today, the carrier is offering both the $200 HTC Windows Phone 8X as its flagship and the $100 Nokia Lumia 822 for the more cost-conscious. Both Windows Phone 8 devices have a slight spin on the stock formula. Verizon's 8X is currently the only variant of the phone that supports wireless charging, if you're in the position of choosing between Big Red's network and AT&T's; the Lumia 822's differences are more cosmetic, but they may appeal to those who aren't fans of the boxier 810 and 820. The only immediate caveat is a very monochromatic selection that won't improve until the blue and red 8X editions start shipping from next week onwards.

Dish has edged one step closer to its distant goal of having a 4G LTE network to call its own, receiving approval for its AWS-4 (40MHz) wireless spectrum standards by the 3GPP group. Dish used the announcement to air a few issues, including sending a plea to the FCC to get a move on and officially green light the frequency for use. The would-be wireless provider also sounded off on Sprint, which is asking the FCC to crop some of Dish's spectrum and add it to the H Block, making it a more attractive acquisition when auctioned off. If the FCC were to grant Spint's request, Dish wouldn't just lose airwaves, but the slow approval process would start anew with altered specifications. Unfortunately for the satellite TV outfit, Spint is far from the only potential competitor trying to delay Dish's network -- in fact, none seem particularly willing to welcome the new guy without some serious hazing.